Mixed fortunes for Monas street sellers

JAKARTA (JP): "I've been sitting here watching it for more than five years," said a woman squatting near the capital's symbol, the National Monument, or Monas.

"But it has never given me a single reward," she said, pointing to the 35-kilogram gold-plated tip of the 132-meter high monument.

Betty, not her real name, is one of the dozens of drink vendors operating at Monas, located in the heart of the city.

"Instead, I have been arrested now and then by the city public order officials, so much that I'm now broke," she added.

She once had eight workers selling her drinks, but after spending a lot of money to get her goods back from the officials, the 30-year-old woman now works for someone herself.

"One raid cost me Rp 100,000. I was running out of money to get the confiscated stuff back," said Betty, who once hit a public order official on the head with a bottle.

She said the official had taken her bribe but had not released her merchandise for her.

Betty said she has made no attempt to find another area in which to earn a better living.

"Like many other people of this park, I've decided to spend the rest of my life here whatever happens," she told The Jakarta Post last week.

Betty is one of the senior citizens of the night community at the park which surrounds the 35-year-old monument.

Other members are streetwalkers and transvestites selling sex. Their fees range from Rp 3,000 to Rp 50,000 (US$1.25 to $21.25) for each service.

"Some of us, including myself, have tried to quit this park," said a streetwalker, Astuti.

"But we found that this place is promising for our business. We can also find more friends here," said Astuti, 18, a former cashier at a youth hostel.

The park is better than discotheques for business and making friends, Astuti said. She added she has been in the area for six months.

The 80-hectare park, which has been upgraded several times, was initially designed to accommodate gala events, such as exhibitions and festivities. It was also set up to provide a huge family park for Jakartans and tourists.

The park is surrounded by four streets, Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur, Jl. Merdeka Selatan and Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat.

The area houses several government buildings, including ministers' offices, and the American Embassy.

The ongoing upgrading being carried out by the Jakarta municipality is meant to set up more green areas to compliment the public park.

However, probably due to the unfavorable elements, only a handful of tourists take walks and enjoy the night view of the monument and park.

The function of the park has been abused for many years without serious attention from the police.

Says one frequent visitor, "Just imagine if the grass, trees, rats and bats of Monas could talk!"

"They would disclose details of every single dirty story that has ever happened at the park."

Betty said that the sex trade was already the main business of the park at night when she first started trading there.

From 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., the site turns into a huge trading site for street prostitutes, transvestites and for those on the prowl.

Once a deal is struck, the place of service can then be arranged based on mutual agreement.

During a recent interview, many transvestites said they refused to go with their customers to hotels.

They preferred to sweet-talk visitors into enjoying their services on the grass under the trees in dimly lit areas of the park.

"We have no reason!" said one transvestite, in response to why they choose the site. "Take it or leave it," said Ayi, in her softened male voice.

But many say the refusal is mainly so that customers do not see the transvestites in harsh light.

"Playing in the dark gives customers no chance to clearly see their partners' bodies," a visitor said.

Ayi and her two colleagues have their own exclusive service zone, which is less than 100 meters from a police post at the park.

Wearing colorful dresses and cheap perfume, the transvestites stand along the sidewalk of Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, hoping to attract customers.

The places where transvestites stand differ from those of female prostitutes, the dominant nighttime figures at the Monas park.

Most of the prostitutes, aged between 15 and 35, are from the Bongkaran red-light slum in Tanah Abang.

After working several hours at Bongkaran with fees of about Rp 15,000, they move to the Monas park around 10 p.m. and double their rate.

"Customers seeking girls at Monas always come by car, indicating that they are richer than those at Bongkaran," said Yanti, another streetwalker.

Unlike the transvestite prostitutes, most female streetwalkers prefer to take customers to low-class hotels in Tanah Abang, about 15-minute drive from the park.

Only a few of the female prostitutes serve customers in the shadows of the park's trees, equipped with newspaper to lie on and a bottle of water.

Happy Peeping Toms, usually in their hiding places since the early hours of the evening, also occupy the park.

The female prostitutes at the park come from different backgrounds, indicated by different fees ranging from Rp 30,000 to Rp 50,000. On weekends, the number of female prostitutes can reach 100.

They offer their services along the streets heading to the monument by calling and waving their hands at passersby.

Some of them disguise themselves as street traders, selling drinks at almost double the usual price.

A bottle of tea they acquire for Rp 500 is sold for Rp 1,000. A bottle of beer is sold for Rp 6,000 instead of the usual Rp 4,500.

Other prostitutes only use the street traders' stalls as bargaining places.

"But we also share some of the money we get with the traders, just for friendship," said Monik, a young prostitute.

In an attempt to stop the illegal business at Monas, public order officers have launched a series of operations to net prostitutes of both sexes and street traders.

So far, the efforts seem to be only a waste of time and energy.

"How can the government stop us if we can pay-off the officials?" asked Betty.

Many of the prostitutes said Rp 200,000 would secure their release, either that or servicing the arresting officers.

"If the officials had really intended to clean this area, you wouldn't have found me here," one prostitute said. (bsr)